With all that’s going on in our country and world and the depressing news media, I pray and keep receiving the same story imprinted on my heart about Jesus taking a nap in the storm.
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I don’t know about you, but there are nights where I haven’t been able to sleep due to worrying about the panic that is happening in seemingly high places. 😂💃 #IllCatchUpOnMySleepInHeaven
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But let’s imagine how the disciples feared for their lives about the storm and undulating lake. I bet some of them even heard stories of being sunk by such storms and I bet their “news media” of the day (aka gossip and word of mouth) told them all the possibilities of drowning and/or dying. Heck, they probably even had the story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale–in the back their minds (there probably weren’t whales in the lake–but fear does funny things to our imagination). 😅 I’m not going to lie–I would’ve been a basket case. I may have even tried shaking Jesus awake. #SonofGodWakeUp #DoYouSeeThis #TheresAStormBro #BeamUsUpToHeaven
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And yet….Jesus slept through it. Man, I wouldn’t even doubt if he snored.
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Was Jesus trusting on his own knowledge of boats and sea? Was he listening to the people’s past stories that invoked fear?
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No, He knew the power of God. He knew God would make a way for Him. He just needed to take a stand and rebuke the wind and waves.
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“23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Matthew 8:23-27
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So, the beauty of this story is that storms will come…but God has a way for us. He has already given us the power through faith and through His Son’s holy name.
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God’s been telling me to work on my faith muscle instead of my worry one (which can probably bench press 500 lbs of news media). 😅🤣💪
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How do we build-up our faith?
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17
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Starting the day in the Word, listening to podcasts about the Word and ending the day with the Word.
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When that storm comes knocking, may we be filled so much with faith–that fear has no entry. 🧡💪💃 May we have the courage to rebuke the storm and have that smooth sailing of peace and calm.
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P.S. I like definitions so, I’m going to put this one here.
Rebuke: to reprimand : to reprove sharply or censure formally usually from a position of authority
Tag: Christian life
Artichoke Poem
Artichoke
by: Nicole K.
I once was an artichoke, keeping my petals tight and firm
But then the heat of the day made my green shield waver and squirm
Thankfully the Gardner came to my aid
Watering my roots as I began to fade
Then something happened I did not expect
The Gardner picked me from my bush and I began to fret
My prickly petals were trimmed of their spikes
And I was put into boiling water…losing my strength; my might
I fought as hard as I could but the hot water surrounded me
Causing my petals and heart to become tender as I thought they would never be
I was plucked from the heat, exhausted and weak
Too tired to put up a fight…my future looked very bleak
The Gardner then pulled my petals away
Leaving my heart for all to see on display
Now, I understand what it means to let my petals go
And have a tender heart for everyone to see and everyone to know
It took being refined by heat
And the Garndner’s hands that trimmed me so neat
Yes, there are times when I yearn for my petals to be near
But with my Gardner by my side, I have nothing to fear
This Morning’s Food for Thought
The conversation of TV that I previously had with a friend has been on my mind lately…and I’ve been talking to God about this subject.
It is a hard thing to give up watching television when you’re chronically ill for it is a distraction from some hardships that you are going through.
There are very few decent shows out there, and I believe that God will convict us about some of them.
If we are struggling in our walks and TV proves to be a part of the stumbling block, then we should definitely take into consideration what we are allowing our minds to see.
There are times when God brings these following questions and thoughts into my mind:
1. Is this tv show/movie going to be a stumbling block in the area of your life where you struggle? Drinking, drugs, alcohol, anger, sex, etc. are stumbling blocks for certain people.
2. I cannot un-see bad images. Is this movie portraying images that are sinful? Can the enemy use these images against me?
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”– Matthew 6:22-23 (NIV)
3. Am I being religious? My greatest fear is being religious. To cut off the world just because they are not following God’s way. Did not Jesus sit down with the sinners? Were we not all sinners at one time?
Instead of putting my focus on changing the world, I can focus on renewing myself in Christ every single day.
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” -Romans 10:4 ESV
4. Is this a conviction of God or guilt from the enemy? Satan comes disguised in the things that we may think are good. He poisons our minds to believe that we are sinning by just watching a “bad” show. Yes, an inappropriate show or movie can be the seed that is planted in our minds which, in turn, leads us into sinning.
I love the quote from A Tale of Two Cities. “The temptation and the act are different, I thank God for that.” -A Tale of Two Cities
In conclusion, if you feel convicted about the shows/movies that you watch, bring your concerns to God. Let Him put away any deception of the enemy, and let Him show you any stumbling blocks that might clutter the path that leads to God.
onthecliffoflife.com 